Battery Pack Latch and Multi-Directional Charging Interface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing battery packs and chargers lack versatility in attachment methods and fail to provide efficient charging solutions, with limited directional attachment options and inadequate integration of fuel gauge indicators.
Innovation Solution
A battery pack design featuring a housing and cover with multiple directional slots for electric contacts, a button with a latch mechanism, and a universal serial bus (USB) connector for charging, along with a fuel gauge indicator system using light pipes and apertures for power status indication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional battery packs use single-directional attachment methods, then the structure is simple, but the versatility and adaptability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is designed with multiple attachment interfaces including electric contacts on multiple sides (front, rear, and lateral sides) and a USB connector, enabling it to function as both a power source and a chargeable device. This multi-functional design allows the battery pack to attach to various devices in multiple directions, significantly improving attachment versatility without proportionally increasing structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the attachment capability from traditional single-directional (top/bottom only) to multi-directional by placing electric contacts on front, rear, and lateral sides. This spatial expansion across multiple dimensions allows the battery pack to be attached to devices from any direction, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and versatility
2Ease of operation
If battery packs lack integrated charging solutions, then the device structure remains simple, but charging efficiency and convenience are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack integrates a USB connector that enables it to serve dual purposes: as a power source for external devices and as a chargeable device itself. This integration allows the battery pack to provide charging solutions without requiring separate charging devices, improving charging convenience while maintaining reasonable structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the power source function and the chargeable device function into a single battery pack unit. By merging these functions and providing a USB interface for external charging, the design eliminates the need for separate charging equipment, thereby improving ease of operation without excessive integration complexity
3Loss of information
If fuel gauge indicators are not integrated, then the device structure is simpler, but power status feedback is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack incorporates a fuel gauge indicator system that provides real-time visual feedback on the remaining power status. This feedback mechanism allows users to monitor the battery level without removing the pack or using external devices, effectively reducing information loss about power status while maintaining manageable system complexity through the use of standard indicator components
Data Source
AI summary
A battery pack includes a housing, and a cover coupled to the housing. The housing and the cover define an interior to receive a battery. The battery pack also includes a button movably coupled to the housing. The button includes a latch. The button moves from a first position relative to the housing to a second position relative to the housing. The battery pack also includes a switch disposed within the housing. The button contacts the switch when the button is in the second position.